Olga Carmona’s ‘Work of art’ sends Spain into first Women’s World Cup final

AUCKLAND – Defender Olga Carmona conjured up “a work of art” to send Spain into their maiden Women’s World Cup final on Tuesday and a clash with Australia or England.

The skipper capped a frenetic ending to the semi-final at Eden Park in Auckland with a rocket to give Spain a thrilling 2-1 victory over Sweden.

Proceedings seemed to be meandering towards extra-time before suddenly bursting to life when substitute Salma Paralluelo put Spain ahead with nine minutes left.

Rebecka Blomqvist equalised in the 88th minute, only for fullback Carmona to score the winner with a superb shot in off the underside of the crossbar from the edge of the box 60 seconds later.

“We knew it would be a really demanding game mentally,” Spain coach Jorge Vilda said.

“But they showed they were prepared because, in the last minute, Olga appeared to produce the work of art she did to take us through.”

Spain’s place in Sunday’s final in Sydney is a remarkable journey for a team who had never previously gone beyond the last 16 at a Women’s World Cup.

“It was a very tough game. It could have been difficult to recover from their goal but we’ve shown that this team can deal with anything,” said 19-year-old Paralluelo.

“All of us are extremely proud of everything we have done.

“We’re just one step away from glory... We took this little step and now we need that final push.”

And for Vilda, it is vindication.

Fifteen Spanish players told their federation last September that they no longer wished to be considered for selection, mainly out of unhappiness with Vilda and his methods.

Only three of them –  Mariona Caldentey, Aitana Bonmati and Ona Batlle – returned for this World Cup but Spain have barely noticed the absence of the others.

Vilda said the turmoil that had threatened to torpedo Spain’s Women’s World Cup before it had even begun “made all of us stronger”.

“Now we can file it away and put it behind us and think about the future, and think that we deserve to be where we are,” he said.

While Spain’s dream of World Cup glory remains alive, Sweden are left with a familiar feeling after going so far at another major tournament before falling short.

This is the third time in four World Cups that they have reached the semi-finals, only to lose on each occasion.

Peter Gerhardsson’s side also lost in the last four at the European Championship last year, having been beaten in the final of the Tokyo Olympics on penalties against Canada in 2021.

“It is not something you can simply learn to do better or improve upon,” Gerhardsson said of his team’s wretched record in semi-finals.

“I think everyone just feels sadness and huge disappointment.

“Today we had the enormous joy and elation of equalising, thinking we could maybe take the game to extra-time, and then it turns again.”

Sweden have not won a major tournament since the inaugural Women’s Euro in 1984.

Since then, they have lost three times in the final of the Euro.

Their sole visit to the Women’s World Cup final in 2003 also ended in defeat.

“I’m so tired of crying championship tears,” a bitterly disappointed Kosovare Asllani said in a televised interview, wiping tears from her eyes throughout.

“I don’t think people understand the energy and the passion that is behind this. It really sucks, we dreamed of a World Cup final,” the 34-year-old playmaker added.

“I’m so proud of this team, where we are today and how we have performed in this tournament.

“We deserved to be in the final, but that’s how football is.”

Both Gerhardsson and defender Magdalena Eriksson were clear about wanting to win the third-place play-off on Saturday, where they will meet the losers of Wednesday’s second semi-final.

“Tonight we can mourn, tonight we can be sad, disappointed but, from tomorrow, we look forward,” Eriksson said.

“We knew that we had two matches left in the tournament when we made the semi-final, now there’s a third-place play-off and we still have a chance to win a medal, and we’re going to go for it, 100 per cent.” AFP, REUTERS